The Freedom of Pride
by Tsukin3
Summary: The Story discusses noble houses and explores the concept of the 4 holy beasts. It is a story focused on Hokori, a Soulreaper in the times when Aizen's masterplan was in it's early stages. Story follows the existing chapters, but adds a new spin on things. The mystery of Kirio's sudden promotion, role of Ichigo's dad and the Secret behind the Golden Princess featured. Enjoy.
1. Chapter 1

**The Freedom of Pride.**

And I will not step back,

Even if the sky cries,

Begging that I die.

I will survive.

Chapter 1. Hebi to Hokori.*

The heavily built contestant, named Hebikuro was seen talking to Lord Ryukubo in the late hours of the first day of the competition. It has been a long standing practice, that after the first several rounds of Subeseishin* nobles made offers to one or two exquisite fighters in order to recruit them into their private defense forces. The practice was a method for some of the players to get out of the fight with relatively small toil taken. In the case of Habikuro, there was no meaningful hindrance that would prevent his shapely performance in the last round at all, but the offer was swiftly accepted with an abrupt bow of his tattooed scalp. Still, when the individual battle began in the early hours of the third day of the new year, Hebikuro didn't seem to let up at all. His two rivals were carried out half conscious in less then 15 minutes into the battle, which resulted in Hebikuro gaining quite a number of fans among the Soul Reaper Academy students who cheered loudly from their seats in the fourth and fifth rows of the round arena.

"He does have an unusually high stamina." commented Jushiro Ukitake.

"Such performance doesn't change the pressure readings very much though." answered

Captain Kyoraku, who joined his friend in the Captain Box of the stadium, which was constructed every 5 years outside the North Gate and then meticulously brought back down after the New Year's celebrations ended.

Hebikuro idly used his ebony sword to beat out an even, foreboding rhythm in the sand beneath his feat waiting for another opponent. The formula of the competition changed substantially in the last years. What with the substitution of heavy weapons with wooden swords and prolonging the whole event to two days, where fights were held in a strict order, the Subeseishin was currently a competition concentrated on discerning the souls with the highest potential to grow under strenuous activity.

"Argh! This is boring!" exclaimed Kenpachi. "Look Ukitake what you've gone and done with yer constant yammering over the last 100 years. Uuuu... there is too many dead young boys, when they could live to be excellent Reapers." mocked the Captain of squad 11, who himself gained the title by murder and wasn't at all a fan of going away from the ancient practices.

Indeed, it was captain Ukitake who constantly advocated for making the games more civil.

Underneath the seating area, Squad 4 was prepared for emergency treatment, while a few members of squad 12 toyed with a spiritual metronome measuring the strength of fighters in every encounter.

In fact, the prediction uttered by Kyoraku about Hebikuro's spiritual pressure at the very beginning was true. Hebikuro had a strong spiritual pressure, but it was steady, with little irregularities. Perhaps he wasn't challenged enough to show any signs of toil or excitement and the appearance of the next contestant didn't foreshadow any changes in that pattern.

A scrawny fellow entered the arena, with thin legs visible under a ragged silk kimono in the middle of February, a tarnished straw hat on his head.

"This is boring." complained Hiori.

"Hummm...nope... Not at all." though Yoruichi, who sat a few seats apart. "Yo, Kisuke! Wanna bet?" she addressed an untidy youth who was more interested in the scroll that Hiori just delivered, then the game grounds below.

He scratched his chin and said "I don't see anyone I could place my bet on."

"What? Don't you want to bet on the tall one?" teased Yoruichi.

Kisuke Urahara looked at her.

"Sure... How much?" It was a fishy proposal. The new guy didn't look or feel like a winner. Why would Yoruichi choose to bet on something so uncertain. Then he smiled in understanding. Of course, the less chances there were, the greater the fun.

"If the new guy wins, you, Kisuke Uruhara will have to buy me ramen whenever I request it. Buy it, bring it and split the chopsticks for me, that is."

"Do I understand that Captain will do the same if that Hebikuro guy wins?" asked Urahara.

"Of course, a bet is a bet."clarified Yoruichi.

"I don't get those two" murmured Hiori.

"They are probably still drunk from the New Year's partying, stubby. Now, shut up and be still." said Hirako, whose head was currently crushing Hioris back.

"You are the one drunk and what did you call me?"

Hiori fell silent, lifted her legs up and jumped up with all her might. Hirako lunched forward in a cloud of dust, his head scraping stone stadium seats.

From above came the voice of Lieutenant Sasakibe, who announced: " Duel 15, third time over, class A. Contestant Habikuro against Hokori."

Hebikuro smiled in a nasty way. He looked to the seats on his left. Hokori followed his gaze.

There he was, Ryukubo Genzai, sitting like the whole world belonged to him, a silver dragon expensively coiling on his kimono.

Next to him sat a disgruntled, but poised woman in a gray, almost penitentiary set of robes. Ryukubo's eyes widened and upper lip curled up a little, as if he was looking at a rotting fish head being swept away by the street cleaner.

Hokori's jaw clenched, not mentioning the fists.

Hebikuro spat on the ground: "Boy, you're in a sorry state." He could see the many small bruises that the matches from previous day left on the boy.

Hokori lifted the wooden sword.

Hebikuro launched forward.

Hokori dodged, but his straw head covering was swept away by the air current of his opponent's sword swing. Beneath it was a pale face, almost girlish and underage, with a blue bruise on the back of a clumsily shaved scalp.

"Is it over yet?" asked Mashiro. She closed her eyes the moment the big guy swung his sword.

"Hey, the little fly isn't that bad." said someone in the back.

Mashior peaked through her fingers.

On the arena the two struck and dodged in exchange. Hebikuro was tall and fused together, straight up meaty, but the short boy was fast and his thin arms seemed to be made of steel.

Hokori struck with fierceness but every hit fell on Hebikuro's sword. He was gapless. Suddenly, it seemed to Hokori's eyes that time has stopped, Habikuro withdrew his sword and Hokori's hit was cutting only across air. Somehow Hebikuro was there, just standing and smiling, as if saying: "Now lets start fighting for real"

The moment Hokori's sword landed in the sand, Habikuro's collided with the boy's side. Hokori flew away, rolling in the dirt.

"And this is why the tournament should have a weight limit." said Captain Ukitake.

"Like the wooden swords didn't spoil the fun enough." said Kenpachi.

"Take it easy, friend. The boy didn't stroll out there by accident. He signed the form himself and defeated other men on his way here. Besides he can withdraw any time he feels it's enough." added Kyoraku.

"As I said, yer regulations completely spoiled the fun." added Kenpachi standing up. It was enough for him, besides his own fists itched too much to just clobber one of those guys on the arena to the ground.

Then the crowd below inhaled loudly and the eyes of the Soul Reaper Captains were attracted back to the field below them.

Hokori was back on feet and charging full speed at his opponent, who looked quite undisturbed. In fact, Hebikuro was ready to strike and end it, one strong hit on the cranium would do it. As he prepared to receive another butterfly poke and return it thousandfold, the boy disappeared in front of his eyes. Hebikuro turned abruptly around, but was too late, a sword hit him across the head and face from above. He stumbled back, and Hokori was ready to strike again.

The attempts of the little flea annoyed Hebikuro. A little blood splattered down his nose and the stocky guy got slightly angry.

He swung around, saw another blow aiming at him and clobbered down the insolent twerp instead. He swung again, but Hokori dodged and rolled off back to his feet.

The boy was panting, clinging on to his ribcage, not stable on his feat. He understood that if this duel was to be his win, it will have to be fast, without further stalling.

Hebikuro flexed the muscles of his back, so that his spine threatened to erupt and slither away in a gesture of some scaly monster of old.

"You are done for." said Hebikuro.

The pain in Hokori's chest slowly became manageable. The young contestant took his sword, placed it before himself and began tracing a shallow circle around himself. It was almost a dance motion, a circle after a circle, a slow spin with every step. Then he stomped ahead on his high geta* and before the hit took a hold of his sword with both hands. Hebikuro wanted to block, but the force surprised him.

The fellow before him had at least two ribs cracked, but Hebikuro almost toppled over by the shear collision of their swords. Although he managed to maintain his posture, there was another hit waiting in store for him. One besandaled foot struck at his neck. Hebikuro bent backward and flipped back, but a pointed sword was already at his throat by then.

A voice from above asked: Is this a quit?

The answer was immediate, Hebikuro propelled off the ground, taking Hokori along with him and pinning his thin limbs to the ground.

The voice of Lieutenant Sasakibe asked again: Does one of the contestants forfeit?

Hokori couldn't breath, blood was pouring out of his mouth.

Squad 4 members emerged to separate the fighters. They pulled Hebikuro off. Hokori looked towards the stands, to the smiling face of Ryukubo, the straw hat that covered Hokori's head lay in the dirt.

The people around him wanted to pull him down, but he wouldn't lay it off

He jerked free, and slapped the hands away.

"I will win!" shouted the boy.

"This should be stopped" said Jushiro Ukitake, who quite frankly couldn't look at the thin neck of almost a child getting snapped in half.

Hokori's right hand was injured, but he could use his left even better. He kicked down his high geta sandals and an enormous lightness spread over Hokori's body. He was either dying, or winning.

He almost floated, he whirled his sword and danced forward. Hebikuri didn't know what hit him. A hit from the right, a hit from the left, he wanted to stop it, but the boy was too fast. When he thought he was grabbing that thin, miserable hand, Hokori was already above him. The sword locked under Hebikuro's chin and the mass of the man's body was hauled back, over Hokori's back. Strangled by his own weight. Hebikuro lay motionless. Hokori stumbled backward a couple of steps. He turned, the crowd was shouting and clapping, but Hokori longed only to see the face of Ryokubo. The noble sat stone faced.

Lieutenant Sasakibe announced: The winner is Hokori.

The young fighter lifted his sword and Squad 4 was on their way to patch him up. Hebikuro lay confused, he couldn't understand how was it possible that he lost. He took out from underneath his belt the short dagger that Ryukubo handed him the day before, "just in case" he said.

Hokori glimpsed at the movement in the back and lunched forward immediately. The knife split open the silk kimono over his back, Bakudo spells shot out to bind the men to the ground. But the fire inside Hokori erupted again, this time in an ugly, vengeful way. He aimed his sword directly at Hebikuro's heart, to pierce and tear it apart. The same Bakudo spells prevented him from venting his rage. For Hokori, from the very beginning, it was either all, or nothing.

Now, the damage was done, the silk slithered apart, the bandages underneath revealed the undoubted marks of a female.

Shunsui took out the lemongrass he was sucking on up till now, from his mouth.

Mashiro was dumbfounded for a while, but when the news sunk in, she started cheering as she never did before.

Hokori, the girl, covered up and was lead out of the arena.

* Hebi to Hokori (phon jap.) 蛇と誇り- eng. Snake and Pride.

Ref. Google translate:)

* Subeseishin- Freely created word collocation form phonetic pronunciation o japanese words meaning All (すべて phon.: Subete) Souls (精神 phon: Seishin)

I'm ashamed for butchering the language, but lets face it this Fan Fiction won't be valid by the time I learn it and I need to create names :P

* geta- japanese sandals.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter II Bleeding Star.

The abode of the Hagetoras, the great noble House of the West consisted of the privet quarters, guest wing and the main hall, which at times such as the New Year's banquet was indispensable. Arranged in a checkered pattern, deep fire-pits surrounded by unmeltable steel warmed the enormous white hall. Around them, cascading downwards, tables were arranged and the seating order contemplated deeply by the mistress of the house and her advisers every 4 years.

The very ground floor was devoted to the performers, among them the most skilled Geishas that district one of East Rukongai could boast. The prize was big and the Okaa-san of the Hana Niva house and school for Geishas knew it. She was a very industrious woman, who migrated among tables of guests, distributing small groups of silk packed girls, who played koto, twirled fans and poured sake. She herself, greeted the guests, paying the greatest attention to those closest to the four main Households. She didn't have much of a chance with the captain of the Kuchiki's, who sat unmoved to any flutter of a fan or pink cheek, tending only to his ten year old grandson's curiosity. The boy's eyes followed the Okaa-san strut here and there, dawning a dark red kimono, with a pattern of golden koi carp swimming on her sleeves and up her back. She crossed the hall, talked a bit with the fun-loving Captain of Squad 8, moving on to the section devoted to the clan of the Black Tortoise.

Lord Ryukubo sat proudly, his chest puffed out and poised, but eyes attentive to his family, other noble families and the Geishas. He loved to collect those little creatures. He was aware of the contemptible look that the all important Ginrei Kuchiki gave him every time he saw him in the their company, but Ryokubo couldn't help himself.

"Lord Ryokubo". said the woman, bowing very low in front of the noble.

"Yoshino-san." answered Ryukubo with a booming voice."Where is the main attraction of the evening?" he inquired with a lift of a bushy brow.

"My youngest and most talented Maiko stage before a girl becomes a full-fledged Geisha will be out in a little while. I do not like to boast, but I have trained her with all my knowledge."

"I hope that the effort was worth while."

Okaa-san actually loved boasting, but didn't appreciate being doubted. Nevertheless, she knew better then become aggravated with such a generous donor.

"I adopted her at the age of 4 and she did not live a day since then without training my lord."

"What is her name?" Ryukubo was in a good humor, a "golden mirth" , as Yoshino liked to call it.

"Kagaya. It is a good name" Yoshino added."Her eyes are dark as coal, but skin white as snow. I have great hope for her."

Ryukubo hummed a little under his breath.

Meanwhile the object of their discussion stood motionless in the vestibule of the banquet hall. Before her assembled a small quire of instrument playing girls wearing ash gray kimonos, very tidy and almost unperceiveable.

Her older sister handed her two large fans. She was jealous and whispered as if she knew what Kagaya had in mind. "Don't bring the good name of the Okia down."

Someone opened the back door, letting some freezing air in. It was a woman, a Shinigami on her way out into the cold night. Kagaya looked at her fans, they had golden ribs, midnight blue margins on the inner and outer border, blood red on the inside. The doors opened, the tumult of the people perforated each layer of her kimono, from orange, through purple, to light pink, ending with a green pattern of leaves.

The procession entered in a truly entertainment battle style. First the flutes, then the kotos and finally, the dancer. She stepped swiftly on extremely high okobo .

Kagaya remembered how Okaa-san told her to wear those heavy sandals day in and day out. Her feet were bleeding by the end of the first day.

"All for nothing." She thought. "All for money and more silk, and more donors and a larger Okia, and power. Power was the most important of them all."

The gaping mouths of several young Shinigami filled her with bitterness. She craved that black uniform, which would allow her to be her own. Almost free. But all was useless now. There was Okaa-san, next to that bull of a man.

Kagaya knew that Okaa-san planned for her to obtain him as a patron, to serve him as many did before her. She hated it and knew that it didn't matter and most importantly she didn't matter.

The gong signaled the beginning of the melody. Kagaya flipped her fans open, covering her face.

As soon as the flutes whistled, she swiveled the fans. It was the gesture for the rising sun. She was given the liberty to choose the story she wanted to dance to.

"It is an old tale of the last star in the morning sky, which does not want to disappear..." whispered Okaa-san into Ryukubo's ear.

"Then, she attempts to outshine the sun? Very ambitious." said Ryukubo doubtfully, but he was already captivated. Of course what could there be to not enchant of what was visible beyond the lairs of silk.

The Geisha had a pair of charcoal eyes and equally black hair. Ryukubo couldn't understand how she was able to perform so perfectly with all the clothing lairs on. There was grace and beauty. In the middle of the performance, the star folded her fans, acting as tongues of fire. The kotos ceased they trickling melody.

Kagaya hit the hard fan edges in the tact of the flute, dancing. This was her own sequence that of a duel between the sun and the star. Because the star must eventually die. And she did. A jerk and her red fans exploded like blood dirtying the horizon only with diluted pink.

Okasan taught her to be fast and swift, the sun exploded finally with a dew on green hills that flourished on the train of her Kimono. She saw Ryokubo whispering into Okaa-san's ear.

The woman stood up and Kagaya could almost see the two old feet twitching with excitement.

As soon as the Geishas reentered the parlor and the view of the hall was obscured, Okaa-san whispered the good news, puffing out her feathers. Several younger Maiko's gasped, hearing the price.

"You could put a silk kimono of the highest quality on each of you for that."she concluded.

"Extraordinary." exclaimed Shunsui with glassy eyes.

"Yes it was." added Shinji."I wish some of the rookies were as good with their swords as that Geisha was with her fans" he gave a large toothy jeer.

"Dry your drool, they say that the old geezer Ryukubo already payed an amount of money you can only dream of." added Hiyori, who appeared behind him out of nowhere.

"And what brings the antithesis of a Geisha here?"

"Youuuuu!." Hiyori started to cause a commotion, but a stern look from the Head Captain sitting several tables away, gave her the chills and she calmed down.

"So, why are you spoiling the mood, snuggle tooth."

"indiscernible mumbling I came to look for Captain Hikifune. Do you know where she went to?" simmered Hiyori through clenched teeth.

"NO. She walked out somewhere just before the performance." answered Shinji.

"You should look for her in the Hagetora Clan party, it's her family after all."added Shunsui, who allowed a cute Maiko* to pour him some sake yet again.

Kirio Hikifune was indeed with her family, but not in the Banquet Hall. She sat tapping her fingers on her knee, while a woman next to her whimpered from time to time.

"Stop it." Kirio said sharply, which made it almost unbelievable that she was talking to her own sister.

The other woman cheered up almost instantly. "So, you will help." she inquired.

"Help?! Help?!." simmered Kirio. She had chubby cheeks and short blond hair.

"Don't blow you're fuze sis!" said the other. Masane was younger then Kirio, but a lot taller.

Kirio inhaled. " We are way beyond that." she added matter-of-factly."

"How long have you known about this?" demanded Kirio.

"I've been hearing strange stuff for a while now, but for the life of me I wouldn't think that all this had such an origin." explained Masane.

The sisters spoke of the secret hidden by the Hagetora's for nearly two centuries. The head of the clan, Hagetora Shinzo was the only heir of the main family. When he was a child he succumbed to a disease and was to die. His father wouldn't allow it. He took the tooth of the Holy Tiger Beast, powdered it and gave the child to drink. Since then the gift bestowed on the Hagetoras by heavens was dormant, as if enshrined in the body of a growing child. Yet, time passed and the child became an adult about to die. Now, the Beast was struggling to get free, which endangered the balance of the Soul Society, the Hagetoras and now Kirio, who had to tell the truth to the Head Captain.

"I don't know weather it would be better to tell the Head Captain or actually face the Holy Beast " sighed Kirio. The inquisitive side to her took over for a little while. "Of course running with it to the Head Captain just now isn't that necessary. Let's wait until the Banquet ends and check the records on similar events, maybe there is a way to seal the Tiger after all." she thought to herself as she changed her destination from the Banquet Hall, to the library and flash stepped, carried by her imagination as much as reishie.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter III In Blue

Captain Jushiro Ukitake, Captain Ginrei Kuchki and Professor Sango Saki of the Soul reaper Acadamy Council sat poised in silence. Before them bowed a bandaged up girl, with a bald head, wearing a white hospital kimono.

"Echem." Ukitake cleared his throat." Why did you enter the tournament?" his voice quite hoarse.

"To enter the Academy."answered curtly Hokori.

"Yes, but why did you decide to do it this way, instead of the usual and much easier examination?"

"I had no other choice, I would not have passed the knowledge test." Hokori answered bluntly.

"What made you think that you would win the Tournament?" interrupted Sango, almost jeeringly.

Hokori's anger sprouted another root, but she remained calm, she couldn't distroy her position, not now, not when the uniform was at a hand's reach.

"I didn't know that either, I only knew that this was my only chance and I was ready to sacrifice everything for it." she said out loud., but her thoughts spelled out something more along the line: "Like there was something left anyway."

She wanted to say: "I won, didn't I, that's what counts." But she repressed that too.

"Hmmm..." started the Captain of squad VI."Where did you acquire your abilities?." asked the old man.

"Living on the streets." she was lying and was grateful that her lowly rank didn't allow to rise her eyes to meet those of her superior's.

"Miss Hokori, because I assume that is your last name." came the shrilly voice of Sango Saki.

"If you learned how to fight on the street, then by doing what? You see I'm very curious about an occupation that would provide such skills."

"No doubt you are." she thought.

"I carried heavy objects." That wasn't a lie, she really did carry many layers of silk.

"As far as I know, the Tournament does not exclude women."said Hokori out of turn.

The two serious looking men lifted their eyebrows.

"Yes, but it is rare to see a woman enter and live through it." Juushiro Ukitake was obliged to answer.

"Then,if a woman wins, she also gets a place in the Shino Academy?" Hokori lifted her eyes.

The younger man smiled, as if he was handing out candy to orphans."Of course, we are not denying you your reward."

"We just want to know what motivates you, as a future soul reaper!" interrupted Sango Saki.

Hokori looked straight into his eyes and said clearly:" I want to be a soul reaper, because a soul reaper is free."

Now all the man lifted their eyebrows.

"Being a soul reaper." said Captain Kuchki sternly. "Means to obey, there is very little freedom in that,"

Hokori's eyes shined, she smiled and bowed even deeper.

"I understand, but to me a soul reaper is as free on the inside as he is constricted by his duty on the outside."

These were her only completely true words, the only words that streamed from her hear.

"I have no other questions." concluded Kuchki and that seemed to end the whole interview.

A young officer lead her back to the hospital along a long passage, partly open to the courtyard. He stopped abruptly in the middle of it, saluted to a woman who didn't really take any notice of them, just walked ahead, deep in thought. Hokori felt like she saw her somewhere before. Somewhere during the Banquet perhaps? Then the woman suddenly stopped. Looked at Hokori, her eyes moving from left to right, right to left, hummed a little under her breath and moved on.

"Who was that?" asked Hokori.

"Captain of squad XII, Kirio Hikifune." answered the soul reaper. When they arrived on her ward he also handed her a small package.

"You are to report in the Academy no later then on Monday." He added with a serious face and was about to leave, when Hokori stopped him.

"Excuse me, there seems to have been a mistake." The officer looked at her.

"This uniform is blue." He still looked at her.

"Erm, I might be mistaken, but don't the men wear blue uniforms?"

By now she saw the guy stiffing a lough.

"Professor Sango Saki ordered me to bring this one, apparently he thinks that if you entered the tournament as a man, you wouldn't mind."

Hokori looked serious for a brief moment and then said lightly "What do you know, I don't mind at all."

After he left she looked in the mirror over the sink. Her lip was cut, left cheek blue. She touched the back of her head, where a big purple bruise protruded viciously, her ribs still stung, but the kido treatments she received from the squad IV members helped substantially. Hokori saw kido in working for the second time since the tournament, that technique could heal as well as restrain and injure. She looked at the blue uniform and wanted to wear it now, to go to the Academy and start learning about kido that very moment. Suddenly, it dawned on her, the Female Captain! She saw her on the night of the New Year's, on the street behind the guestrooms. An unsettling feeling rose in Hokori's heart. What if the Captain remembered? What if Ryukubo overcame his pride and talked.

NO! As quick as she became nervous, she collected herself. Nobility does not boast about Geishas that struck them unconscious and then run with their own swords. Captains don't have time to remember girls running through dark streets. For now, she was safe. Just with a little luck.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter IV The Tiger Escapes.

Kirio Hikifune was quickly unrolling and rolling back ancient scrolls on the Four Beasts, she lost herself in the research among myths. The reins of the beasts were given to the ancestors so long ago that nothing but legend remained. If what she read was true, only the Spirit King could bring the beasts back to their resting. It was almost two in the morning and outside the Gates, the Banquet continued uninterrupted.

Kagaya Hokori was walking majestically along the corridor in the guest section of the Hagetora mansion, her thoughts whirling in all directions.

"The news probably already spread" she could almost hear it in whispers among the indiscreet, drunk lesser nobility as they murmur to each other with sparkly eyes "Ryukubo will be spending the first hours of the new year with the Kagaya of Hana Niwa. I would buy such splendid flowers too, if I had the means."

Suddenly something bumped in the folds of her kimono and almost got tangled in the layers. The boy jumped back immediately and looked at her with two brilliantly blue eyes, his face went pink.

Kagaya smiled. "A few years to early, boy" she said mockingly. "And yet, what wouldn't I give to read you bedtime stories, instead of going where I'm going." The boy was maybe seven and just stood frozen on the spot. Kagaya continued on her course, when from behind she heard a sudden

outburst of indignation "I can read myself." Then a door opened and by the time she turned back the boy was gone, an old, stubby nose examined the hallway and closed the screen doors firmly when he saw the Geisha.

She entered the designated bedroom of Lord Ryukubo, he wasn't there. Her eye swept the room for anything helpful in her endeavor, then she opened the screened.

The room was on the second floor, near the tile roof connected to another complex. Kagaya drummed her fingers on the wood of the window seal, behind the panel door parted. In came a jovial Ryukubo. He saw his Geisha and almost instantly dropped the haughty mask he displayed in the corridor. He grabbed her neck and fingered it's smooth skin.

"Indeed, A beautiful doll you are." he commented.

Kagaya looked into his eyes.

"And those eyes of yours, black enough to incrust the shell of the great turtle." he said.

"Undress me." commanded Ryukubo.

Kagaya did as she was told. "Come old geezer" she repeated in her mind. "Forget yourself, and I will forget you."

Ryukubo stopped her hands half way into undoing his sash, he ripped her kimono apart, as a raven digs out a nut from its husk.

The decorative flowers on her head flew off, and her hair came undone. He threw her down to the floor and started kissing.

Kagaya grabbed one of the high geta which lay discarded on the floor and aimed it at Ryukubo's skull.

The man looked bewildered for a while, then in a fit of rage he tried to retaliate and pushed her hard into the floor. Her head slammed on the tatami, she felt her neck getting warm with blood as sparks danced in front of her. Ryukubo was furious, he wanted to grab her hands, but she managed to get past his drunken grip and hit once more. For a little while she thought that he will take out his decorative short sword and pin her to the ground permanently. But, he just looked dazed and toppled down. Hokori grabbed his sword, cut her outer kimono into strips and bound his arms and legs, then gagged the mouth.

The party was in full swing, even the guards now lurked more around the kitchens then the main building.

Hokori climbed on top of the roof and swiftly jumped from one tile to another, along the ridge of the building. Her head pounded. If anyone tried to stop her and was to inquisitive, she was ready to use the sword, even if that meant death. Anything, just not another year in the Geisha House.

She peeked before crossing each corner, there were some Soulreapers on the street, but she managed to dodge them and then, from another corner appeared another one, this time a woman. Hokori stopped and they both looked at each other. The Fireworks announcing the hour of the Tiger erupted overhead.

The woman was about to stop her, but she just turned her head in the other direction, from where Kagaya felt a strange gust of wind that did not wash over her, instead it penetrated into her body and flew out as it came. Hokori got over the feeling, but the woman wasn't there anymore.

Genryusai Yamamoto listened gravely to what Kirio Hikifune had to say, his expression didn't change, but Kirio wasn't sure if he won't burn her down with his Ryujin Jakka soon.

"So, with the sudden death of Hegatora Shinzo yeasterday. The Great White Tiger was set free."

Yamamoto's mustache quivered.

"And how long have you known about this Captain Hikifune?!" he demanded.

"Since yesterday evening."

Someone rapped on the door of squad 1.

"Enter." boomed the Head Captain's voice."

In came the Lieutenant carrying a scroll sealed with nine seals of the heavens.

"Correspondence from the Holly Palace, sir." commented needlessly Lieutenant...

Yamamoto ordered Kirio to return to her squad for further notice, and not to discuss the details with anyone.

Meanwhile, he undid the nine seals and instead of reading the customary blessing for the New Year, he read an order:

"A Captain is to report to the Holy Guard and take up the mission of finding the holy beast. The Soul Society is to continue as it was, weaker and less blessed."

Yamamto could feel that the thunder of trouble will roll soon over Seiretei. The King was punishing Seiretei for the trickery of it's nobility and the attachment to position they displayed.

He himself went to the House of the bereaved family. The announcement of Shinzo Hagetora's death was to be postponed to the third day of the new year, but Central 46 gathered already to sanction the House.

Kirio Hikifunne left the same day that the funeral took place and ever since then she was on the trail of the White Tiger, but finding it was a difficult task.

"Tigers step lightly on the white snow and attack fiercely." she repeated to herself, traveling from dimension, to dimension, always seeing only a glimpse of it's tail.


End file.
